378.053   Charles  Brockway  Gibson. 
G357S 

State  University  Ideals: 

An  Address  . . .  UI  Alumni  Club, 

Chicago,  Oct.  28,  1904. 


H-llMOlS  Hi'STOmCA 


State  University  Ideals 

AN  ADDRESS 

Bv  CHARLES  BROCKWAY  GIBSON,  President, 

(J 


It.   S..   1'.   ol-  I..   -TT:     M.   !»..    P.   ..S.  ^ 


DlCLIVKKKl)    HEKOKE 


The  UniversUy  of  Illinois  Alumni  Club, 
CHICAGO,  OCT.  28,   1904. 


EDMUND   JANES    JAMES,    Ph    D.  LL  D 
President  of  the  University  of  Illinois,  Champaign 


III 


;.•  /  ■-> 


STATE   I'XrXT-.RSITV   IDEALS. 

AN    ADDRESS 
BY 

Charles    ISrocicwav    Ginsox. 

T\vent\-  years  ago  this  club  was  organized  on  a  l)r(iacl  and  lib- 
eral basis,  for  the  purpose  of  not  only  fostering  and  keeping  alive 
the  friendships  formed  during  our  school-days,  but  to  aid  and 
promote  the  growth  and  welfare  of  our  Alma  Mater. 

At  its  organization  the  spirit  which  pervaded  the  club  and 
which  was  uppermost  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  its  members. 
was  that  of  tinity  sustained  by  a  firm  conviction  that  in  the  pro- 
mulgation of  university  education,  based  en  modern  methods, 
lay  the  salvation  of  the  state  and  the  common  weal  of  the  republic. 
To  state  it  more  aptly,  "The  education  of  the  people  is  the  safe- 
guard of  the  Xation." 

I  believe  we  may  say  without  boasting  that  our  et¥orts  have 

not  been  in  vain,  and  that  our  ideas  have  not  clashed  materially 

with  the  giiverning  powers  of  the  institution,  for  our  sole  aim  has 

been  to  make  our  Alma  Mater  what  it  must  and  of  right  ought 

T^o  be,  as  great  among  the  universities  of  the  country,  as  the  state 

is  great  in  wealth  and  ])opuhition  among  the  states  of  the  I'nion. 

^'        The  State  L'niversity,  by  virtue  of  its  origin,  is  necessarily  dif- 

^^ferent  in  its  aim  and  scope  of  instruction   from  the  sectarian  or 

"^    privatelv  endowed  institutinn.     The  .Act   of    i8'i2.  knuwn  as  the 

^'    "Land  Grant"  .\ct,  speciallv  prijvides  that  the  institutions  founded 

-^   upon  it  shall  lie  maintained  for-the  education  of  the  children  of  the 

).^ieople :    "In   agriculture   and   the    .Mechanic   .\rts.   not    excluding 

'5  -  scientiiic  and  classical  studies,  and  includintr  militarv  tactics." 

By  this  act  was  estalilished  in  this  cmnitry  the  basis  of  that  great 
democracy  of  learning  and  culture,  which  is  in  its  essence  the 
highest  aristocracy. 


I' l 


Tlu'  idea  .if  establishing  institutions  of  karninj;  where  the  child 
.,1  the  hun.ldest  citizen  could  better  fit  himself  f.-r  tlie  battle  of 
life  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.— was  indeeil  s.MiiethuHT  novel 
in  the  educational  history  of  the  world. 

The  States  first  to  accept  this  C.rant  of  Congress  and  first  to 
build  ui-  new  institutions,  under  its  provision,  were  New  York 
and  Illinois,  but  the  latter  .^tate  was  the  first  by  a  few  weeks  to 
open  the  doors  of  her  infant  university  to  the  children  of  the 
people  of  the  State. 

The  great  work  of  the  organization  of  the  institution,  the  breadth 
of  its  scope  of  instruetiuu.  the  uniting  of  the  practical  illustrative 
work  in  laboratorv.  shop  and  field  with  the  didactic  and  class-room 
instruction,  was  fornnilaie.l  and  developed  by  that  able,  untiring 
and  broad  minded  educator,  the  late  Dr.  J..hn  Milto,,  Gregory, 
the  first  president. 

The  growth  and  progress  of  the  State  Tniversity  during  the 
])ast  ([uarter  ol  a  century,  and  particularly  during  the  past  decade, 
proves  conclusively  the  wisdom  of  the  act.  the  practicability  of  the 
idea  and  the  far-seeing  wisdom  of  the  man.  contemi)lating  the 
needs  and  ])ossibilitics  of  tliis  class  of  educational  institutions. 
Opening  in  March.  iS(v*<,  with  72  students  and  three  instructors. 
the  universitv  gradually  increased  in  i)upils  and  instructors  until 
in  1873  there  were  in  attendance  about  416  students.  From  that 
time  to  about  1880  the  attendance  did  not  noticeably  increase,  due 
largely  to  one  of  the  greatest  financial  crises  the  country  has 
ever  known.  Since  that  time  the  attendance  has  gradually-  at- 
tained to  V/O^""  >"  number  in  all  the  departments  for  the  present 
\ear.  At  this  rate  of  increase  it  will  Ix'  but  a  short  time  before 
there  will  be  5,000  ]iu]iils.  and  the  university  iiiiisl  be  prepared  for 
them. 

Dr.  (Iregorv  builded  better  than  he  knew  and  to  jiis  memory 
let  all  honor  he  paid.  The  University  of  Illinois  is  a  greater  and 
more  fitting  monununt  to  the  memory  of  one  of  the  most  ad- 
vanced and  original  of  .\merica's  educators,  than  mountains  of 
granite  or  masses  of  bronze.     It  is  but  right  that  his  dreamless 


ashes  should  rest  within  the  shadows  of  the  institution  his  genius 
helped  to  found.     This  in  compliance  with  h'.s  dyino-  request. 

What  more  fitting  compliment  could  be  paid  to  the  memory 
of  one  who  had  done  so  much  for  the  educati^mal  interest  of  the 
State  of  his  adoption,  than  that  his  remains  should  find  sepulcher 
here. 

■'And  when  at  last  Death's  Angel  came, 

To  summon  him  away. 
And  left  to  us  but  memories 

Around  his  lifeless  clay  ; 
We  placed  his  dreamless  dust 

Among  the  shadows  of  his  joy. 
Where  the  blackbird  pipes  its  cheery  song 

To  his  'loved  'Illinois'." 

That  1)1  iih  the  letter  and  the  spirit  of  the  Act  of  Congress, 
anil  the  ideal  of  Dr.  Gregory  have  been  realized  and  lived  up  to 
better  in  Illinois  than  in  any  other  State,  is  evidenced  by  the  I'ni- 
versitv  and  by  the  various  departments. 

The  University  of  Illinois  is  building  up  the  greatest  and  best 
equipped  College  of  Agriculture  in  the  world,  under  the  leadership 
of  an  unusually  able  Dean.  It  is  accredited  with  having  the  great- 
est and  most  practical  College  of  Engineering  in  this  or  any  other 
country.  There  is  one  of  the  most  excellent  experimental  stations 
for  investigation  in  sanitation  and  practical  bacteriology  to  be 
fnund  anywhere.  The  Natural  History  and  Chemical  depart- 
ments rank  with  the  best  in  the  land  in  so  far  as  instruction  is 
concerned,  and  the  University  is  playing  not  an  unimportant  part 
in  investigation  and  research  in  other  branches  of  science,  art, 
history  and  letters.  Last  but  nut  least,  we  have  the  best,  the 
most  practical  and  efifective  military  department  of  any  of  the 
Universities  founded  by  this  Congressional  .\ct.  This,  coupled 
with  the  Athletic  and  ('i)-mnastic  work,  is  building  up  a  class  of 
young  men  who  compare  favorably  m  physical  development  with 
the  trained  men  of  the  Armv  and   Navy. 

The  methods  of  instruction  in  this,  our  University,  are  such 
as  to  best  lav  the  foundation  for  inspiratior.  and  endeavor  in  those 
branches  of  learning  which  shall  fit  the  young  man  or  young 
woman  for  good  citizenship  in  our  great   .State. 


These  arc  iii<l<.\<l  j^ual  results  from  small  beginnings.  ma<le 
frequently  mulir  \hv  most  adverse  circumstances:  such  as  want 
,.f  adequate  funds,  lack  of  facilities  for  publicity  and  promotion, 
tile  carping  and  unjust  criticism  of  the  iniblic  (iress.  I'.ul  m  the 
face  nf  all  this  our  Iniversity  has  attained  to  a  high  rank  among 
ilie  State  I'niversities. 

W  liere  in  the  historv  of  the  world's  education  has  there  been 
a  parallel  of  the  growth  made  liy  our  State  Universities  during  the 
l)ast  ten  vears?  This  speaks  well  for  the  inherent  desire  of  the 
hmuan  mind  for  higher  attainments  and  a  fuller,  riper  growth. 

r.ut  It  is  necessary  to  make  more  liberal  appropriations  than 
h;i.\e  thus  far  btx-n  inaile. 

It  is  imi)ortant  that  each  deiiartment  be  so  equipped  as  to  give 
the  greatest  output  of  the  highest  product  of  human  endeavor, 
n(>t  onlv  in  agriculture,  mechanics  and  engineering,  but  in  science, 
philosophy,  literature  and  art.  To  this  end  ample  and  adequate 
provisions  must  be  made  to  encourage  original  and  research  work, 
such  as  shall  add  to  the  world's  wealth  of  knowledge.  In  the  la.st 
three  score  vears  original  research  in  all  lines  has  added  a  thou- 
.sand  times  more  to  the  world's  material  welfare  than  all  the  cost 
of  such  work  in  dollars  and  cents.  The  benefits  derived  from  in- 
vestigation in  chemistry,  electricity,  physiology,  |)athology  and 
hvgiene  are  sim])lv  incalculable  as  adding  to  the  world's  wealth 
and  in  lightening  the  burdens  of  human  life. 

riuis  briellx  1  have  endeavored  to  i)lace  before  you  certain  aims 
and  ideals  wdiich  must  l)e  lived  up  to  by  the  i)eoi)le  of  i>ur  State 
if  they  wish  to  enjoy  the  perfect  fruition  of  the  aims  and  intent 
ol  that  wonderful  .Act  of  Congress  iit  establi.shing  a  great  educa- 
tional svstcni  of  the  jjcople.  for  the  people  and  by  the  people. 

These  aims  and  ideals  have  been  most  admirably  set  forth  in 
that  splendid  address  delivered  last  .\ugust  at  the  Fiftieth  .-Knni- 
versarv  I'f  tlu  Wisconsin  I'niversity,  by  Dr.  C  R.  \'.\x  Hi.sic.  the 
new   {'resident.      I  cannot  do  better  than  to  tpiote  from  it: 


A  state  university  can  only  permaiieiitly  succeed  when  its  doors  are 
open  to  all  of  botli  sexes  who  possess  sufficient  intellectual  endowment, 
wlien  the  financial  terms  are  so  easy  that  the  industrious  poor  may  find 
till-  way  and  when  the  student  sentiment  is  sucli  that  each  stands  upon 
an  equal  footing  with  all.  This  is  the  state  university  ideal,  and  this 
is  a  new  thing  in  the  world. 

In  the  university  men  are  trained  to  regard  economic  and  social  ques- 
tions as  problems  to  be  investigated  by  the  inductive  metliod  and  in 
their  solutions  to  aim  at  what  is  best  for  the  whole  people  rather  than 
at  what  is  favorable  to  the  interests  with  which  they  chance  to  be  con- 
nected. 

Such  of  these  men  as  are  filled  with  a  burning  enthusiasm  for  the 
advancement  of  the  race  are  capable  of  great  accomplishments,  for  they 
possess  the  enlightenment  upon  which  wise  action  may  be  based.  Already 
men  who  have  studied  history,  economics,  political  science  and  sociology 
in  the  universities  have  achieved  large  results  in  the  formulation  and 
enforcement  of  the  written  law  and  in  the  growth  of  a  healthy  and  pow- 
erful public  sentiment. 

Soon  such  men  will  be  found  in  every  city  and  hamlet,  leading  the 
fight  against  corruption  and  misrule,  but  even  more  important  and  vastly 
difficult,  leading  in  constructive  advance.  In  these  men  lies  in  a  large 
measure  the  hope  of  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  great  questions  deeply 
concerning  the  nation,  some  of  which  are  scarcely  less  momentous  than 
was  that  of  slavery. 

The  western  people  were  not  content  with  the  expansion  of  pure 
knowledge;  they  demanded  schools  of  applied  knowledge.  Hence  the 
organization  of  schools  of  law,  medicine,  dentistry,  etc.,  subjects  whicli 
closely  concern  each  individual. 

The    people    of    the  west    even    went  farther  and   demanded  that  language 
mathematics,  political  economy  and  history  be   taught  so  as  to  best  serve 
the  man  of  affairs. 

In  recognition  of  the  intellectual  power  gained  in  pursuit  of  applied 
knowledge  and  its  extreme  importance  in  the  development  of  the  nation 
the  state  universities  of  the  west  have  been  at  least  abreast  of  the  eastern 
institutions. 

In  Germany,  where  the  universities  devote  themselves  to  class  work 
done  in  the  graduate  school,  the  universities  are  supported  by  the  govern- 
ment. The  German  statesman  regards  it  as  a  matter  of  course,  that 
the  production  of  scholars  and  investigators  at  the  university  is  a  neces- 
sity to  the  nation  and  to  them  is  largely  due  the  position  Germany  has 
taken  during  the  last  half  century.  In  Germany  the  scholar  is  a  man  of 
affairs.      He    is    found    in    all    imp<Trtant    divisions    of    administration    as 


adviser   and   consultant.     This   condition   is   beginning   to    obtain    in   this 
country. 

The  college-trained  man,  and  especially  the  university-trained  man,  is 
directly  or  indirectly  to  control  the  destinies  of  the  nation  in  the  future. 
The  discoveries  at  our  universities  have  added  vastly  more  wealth  to  the 
states  than  the  entire  cost  of  nnming  the  institutions.  The  advances 
and  improvements  made  all  along  the  line  in  chemistry,  mechanics  and 
electricity  as  applied  to  the  arts,  manufactures  and  agriculture  during 
the  past  decade  have  added  far  more  to  the  wealth  of  the  country  than 
the  cost  of  maintaining  these  various  departments. 

Out  of  the  discoveries  of  Franklin  and  Faraday  and  those  who  followed 
them  has  come  one  of  the  greatest  material  advances  the  world  has  ever 
known. 

The  practical  man  of  :ill  practical  men  is  Ik-  who.  with  his  face  toward 
the  truth,  follows  wherever  it  may  lead,  with  no  thought  hut  to  get  a 
deeper  insight  into  the  order  of  the  universe  in  which  he  lives. 

I  therefore  hold  that  the  state  university  which  is  properly  to  serve 
the  state  must  sec  to  it  that  the  scholarship  and  research  of  all  kinds, 
whether  or  not  a  possible  practical  value  can  be  pointed  nut,  must  be 
sustained. 

The  barriniRss  nf  .Xnierica  in  the  creation  and  appreciation  i>f  literature, 
nuisic  and  .irt  is  the  point  upon  which  Europe  charges  us  with  semi- 
barbarism.  If  tlic  University  does  not  become  the  center  for  the  culti- 
vation of  the  highest  capabilities  of  the  human  mind,  where  is  the  work 
to  be  done?  In  .America  there  is  no  other  available  agency.  This  work 
must  be  undertaken  by  the  university  or  remain  undone. 

If  the  American  people  are  to  cease  being  mere  money-getters,  if  they 
arc  to  accomplish  more  tlian  material  advance,  if  they  are  to  have  pro- 
portional dcvelopmeiil.  tlic  university  nnist  give  training  in  all  lines  of 
human  endeavor. 

There  must  be  linked  togetlicr  tlic  works  of  letters,  science,  arts  ami 
applied  knowledge,  together  with  opportunities  of  research  and  original 
work — this  to  encourage  and  stimulate  the  apt  student  or  the  graduate 
to  lines  of  original  research  and  investigation.  To  give  the  faculties 
the  opportunity  for  directing  or  in  carrying  forward  such  work  of  them- 
■selves  is  an  object  and  aim  that  our  state  universities  must  attain  to 
in  order  to  ameliorate  the  lot  of  mankind  by  new  applications  of  science 
to  life. 

This  is  the  ideal  American  or  state  university,  and  to  dttain  to  this 
ideal  must  be  the  work  of  our  people,  our  graduates  and  our  citizens, 
until  a  imiversity  is  built  as  broad  as  human  endeavor,  as  high  as  human 
ambition. 


Now,  gentlemen,  the  proposition  is  up  to  us  ;  it  is  ui)  to  tlie 
people  of  Illinois ;  it  is  up  to  our  representatives  in  the  Legisla- 
ture. Shall  the  great  State  of  Illinois  have  a  State  University 
which  shall  have  a  rank  with  the  other  universities  of  the  country, 
comparable  to  the  rank  the  State  has  among  the  other  States  of 
the  Union  ?    \\'hat  shall  the  answer  be  ? 

I  believe  the  sentiment  is  that  we  shall  be  second  to  none  in 
education  and  (Opportunities  for  advancement  as  we  are  second  to 
none  in  wealth  and  national  importance. 

The  realization  of  the  aims  of  our  ancestors  to  found  a  great, 
free  and  independent  nation,  where  the  opportunities  of  all  shall 
be  equal,  and  the  rights  of  all  shall  be  vouchsafed,  is  a  con- 
sumation  devoutly  to  be  wished. 

As  eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of  liberty,  so  eternal  and  vig- 
orous efforts  along  the  lines  of  educational  development  is  the 
price  of  intellectual  greatness. 

Opportunity  knocks  at  the  doors  of  states  as  well  as  at  those 
of  individuals,  and  if  the  call  is  not  heeded,  it  comes  not  again. 
The  opportunity  is  yours, — people  of  Illinois, — and  it  must  be 
grasped  and  its  possibilities  fully  developed.  Then  and  not  till 
then  shall  we  have  a  commonwealth  worthy  the  name  of  great. 


CHARLES     BROCKWAY    GIBSON, 
AssAVER    Chemist    fS^ETALLURGiST,  Mining  Engineer. 
81  S.  Clark  St.,  Chicago. 


